


A Matter of Common Sense

by lost_spook



Category: The Reluctant Widow - Georgette Heyer
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Yuletide, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 06:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5447315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_spook/pseuds/lost_spook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elinor fears (or affects to fear) that a very prosaic courtship and marriage awaits her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Matter of Common Sense

**Author's Note:**

  * For [empressearwig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressearwig/gifts).



> I thought your prompt sounded like great fun - even if all I could manage was this slight treat! Here's hoping someone else fills it, and in the meantime, I leave you with this.

“I daresay that you would see nothing especially romantic about a sunset,” said Elinor, in a tone of one resigned to much ill-usage, her suitor having responded to an encouraging comment about how pleasant the weather was with a prosaic observation that it seemed likely to rain before long. “I am sure you think any time of the clock would do as well.”

“My love, that might not always be appropriate,” Carlyon pointed out.

“No, indeed. How very true! How fortunate it is that you will always be on hand to remind me how to go on,” said Elinor. “No doubt you have not troubled yourself to compliment me on my new green gown because you believe I look equally well no matter what I might happen to be wearing.”

Carlyon gave a slight bow. “That is something I have observed to be true – although, of course, I am naturally a partial observer. However, I am very happy to see you out of mourning at last. And I assure you, I would –”

“– always hope for your wife to be properly attired,” Elinor finished for him. She sighed heavily. “It is all precisely as I suspected – as I feared. You are already a lost cause. I see I shall become sadly crushed in spirit before I am thirty.”

“My love, you do not need me to tell you how much your dress becomes you when Miss Beccles has already done so at least once in my hearing, as has John. I rate your intelligence far too highly.”

“Ah,” said Elinor, “but there is an error in your reasoning, for neither of those is the person for whom I went to such trouble with my preparations this morning.” She paused, but before he could speak again, she hastened to add, “And don’t say that I should always take precisely such care no matter who is calling, or make some other depressingly sensible remark –”

“Sensible I trust I may be, my dearest Elinor, but not _insensible_ ,” he said, and first kissed her hand, before taking her into his arms, and kissing her more thoroughly. And if he afforded her face and person more admiration than her charming gown, Elinor found herself disinclined to complain further. She had, after all, achieved her object. Which brought to mind another question in need of an answer: she wondered how much time Carlyon thought was proper to let elapse between the period of her mourning ending and when it would be allowable for them to marry. She decided it was best not to enquire as she might find his reply too lowering and, besides she was currently rather too breathless for words.


End file.
